After completing my Leaving Certificate in Ireland, I started my degree course at the University of Augsburg in autumn 2004, where my subjects included Teaching German as a Foreign Language (Auslandsgermanistik), English and Spanish Literature. After the intermediate examination (2nd year) I was awarded a scholarship by the PAD (The Educational Exchange Service) to work as a teaching assistant in a Spanish primary school in Seville. Subsequent to my year in Seville I decided to continue my studies at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena where I sat my Master’s examinations in August 2010 (degree: Magistra Artium). I then received another scholarship by the PAD which allowed me to gain work experience in the French secondary and tertiary education. During my second year in France I worked as a secondary school teacher teaching English and German.My main interests lie in the field of foreign language acquisition and intercultural communication. Throughout my studies, my professional goal was always to further people’s ability to learn, speak and enjoy foreign languages, in particular German. My studies of Anglophone Literature allowed me to discover my great interest in 19^th century Gothic Fiction.